Richmond is the first Indiana city drivers reach on I-70 coming in from Ohio. The interstate runs along the south edge of town. Inside the city, U.S. 40, the old National Road, splits into one-way pairs on Main Street and A Street through downtown. U.S. 27 carries north-south traffic across the city, and U.S. 35 links Richmond with Muncie to the northwest. Through freight, local commuters and farm traffic from the rest of Wayne County all share those roads. If you got hurt in a crash in Richmond or elsewhere in Wayne County, here are the local facts that matter for an injury claim. You don't have to come to an office. We can do your consultation by phone or video, and you can sign up by e-signature.
What the Wayne County crash numbers show
The Indiana University Public Policy Institute puts out a crash profile for each county, built from state crash records. Here's what its 2024 Wayne County profile shows:
- 1,204 of the county's 2,214 collisions in 2024 were inside Richmond, a little over half.
- Yearly totals stayed in a narrow band from 2020 through 2024: 2,057, 2,315, 2,199, 2,232 and 2,214.
- 41 people died in Wayne County crashes over those five years (12, 6, 9, 8 and 6).
- In 2024, 139 collisions were speed-related, 44 were alcohol-impaired and 32 involved a motorcycle.
The profile only counts reported crashes. Read these numbers as a guide to the overall risk, not a complete picture of every road.
A rural intersection that drew attention
North of the city, the U.S. 27 and Pottershop Road crossing got new safety measures in January 2025 after a fatal crash. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office said its review found 18 crashes, 24 injuries and one death there over five years, and that most of the injuries came from westbound drivers on Pottershop Road failing to yield to U.S. 27 traffic, which doesn't stop. Flashing stop signs and "Intersection Ahead" warnings were added (Palladium-Item, Jan. 21, 2025). Failure-to-yield crashes like these can raise questions about sight lines and signage as well as driver fault.
Semi traffic on I-70
I-70 is a main freight route between Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio, and Richmond sits right at the state line. A semi crash here may involve an out-of-state driver, a trucking company based in another state, and a separate company that owns or loaded the trailer. More than one of them may share the blame. Federal rules on driving hours and truck maintenance may apply. Electronic logs and dash-camera video can be overwritten. That's why a written request to preserve them early can matter.
Getting your crash report
Inside city limits, the Richmond Police Department usually takes the report. The City of Richmond says accident reports can be bought online through BuyCrash for $12 per report. Other police records go through a written public-records request to the Richmond Law Department at 50 North 5th Street, and copies must be paid for in advance.
Outside the city, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office at 200 East Main Street usually handles crashes. On I-70, the Indiana State Police may work the crash. ISP reports are also sold through BuyCrash. Our crash report guide covers the details. When the report comes, read the diagram, the listed witnesses and the officer's narrative. An error is easier to fix early.
Emergency care in Richmond
Reid Health's hospital at 1100 Reid Parkway has a 24-hour emergency department. Reid has been verified by the American College of Surgeons as a Level III trauma center, most recently in July 2025, and it has transfer agreements with higher-level trauma centers when a patient needs one. In an emergency, call 911. Soreness, headaches and back pain sometimes show up a day or more after a crash. So get checked out promptly. That creates a medical record of your injuries.
The Wayne County courts
A lawsuit over a Richmond crash would usually be filed in Wayne County, at the courthouse at 301 East Main Street downtown. The courthouse holds the Circuit Court and Superior Courts I, II and III. The county lists Superior Court III for small claims, traffic and misdemeanor cases. Court offices are open weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Depending on who is being sued and where they are, Indiana's venue rules can sometimes put a case in another county.
Our nearest office
Our closest office to Richmond is at 55 South State Avenue on the near east side of Indianapolis. It's about 72 miles west on I-70, usually around an hour and a half by car. You don't need to come in to get started. Call 1-800-265-9881 or use the form above.
Hiring us from Richmond without an office visit
You can hire Poynter & Bucheri from Richmond without visiting an office. We can talk through what happened in a free phone or video consultation. When you're ready, we'll email you the sign-up papers, and you can sign them electronically from your phone or computer. There's no appointment to drive to. If English isn't your first language, we have access to professional interpretation. Call 1-800-265-9881 or fill out the form above to get started.
Claims we take from Richmond
We handle semi and commercial truck crashes, car accidents, falls at stores and businesses, motorcycle crashes, pedestrian and bicycle injuries, dog bites, and wrongful death claims. If the at-fault trucking company is based in Ohio or another state, it can still be held responsible for a crash in Indiana. Whoever was at fault, expect the other side's insurer to look for a way to say you were partly to blame.
Interstate truck crash guides for this area:
Deadlines to know
In most Indiana injury cases you have two years from the crash to file suit (IC 34-11-2-4). The time runs much shorter when a government vehicle or property is involved, such as a city vehicle or a county road defect. Written notice is due within 180 days for a local government and 270 days for the State. Indiana uses comparative fault (IC 34-51-2). Any share of fault put on you lowers what you can recover, and if your share is more than 50%, you recover nothing.
Frequently asked questions
How many crashes happen in Richmond and Wayne County?
The IU Public Policy Institute's 2024 county profile shows 2,214 collisions in Wayne County in 2024, with 1,204 of them in Richmond, and 6 traffic deaths.
How do I get a Richmond police crash report?
The City of Richmond says accident reports can be bought online through BuyCrash for $12. Other police records require a written public-records request to the Richmond Law Department at 50 North 5th Street.
Where is the nearest emergency room in Richmond?
Reid Health at 1100 Reid Parkway has a 24-hour emergency department and is an ACS-verified Level III trauma center. In an emergency, call 911.
Where would a Richmond injury lawsuit be filed?
Usually in the Wayne County courts at the courthouse at 301 East Main Street. Indiana venue rules can sometimes allow another county.
What if the truck company is based in Ohio?
An out-of-state carrier can still be responsible for a crash in Indiana, and Indiana law generally applies to crashes that happen here.
Do you take cases from Richmond?
Yes. We accept injury cases from Richmond and Wayne County. Our closest office is on South State Avenue in Indianapolis, about 72 miles west on I-70.
Do I have to come to your office from Richmond?
No. If you're in Richmond, you can talk with us in a free phone or video consultation and sign up electronically with documents we email you. There's no need to drive in to get started. Some later steps in a case, like a deposition, a medical exam or a court date, may need you in person, and we'll tell you ahead of time if one comes up.
Sources
- City of Richmond, public records requests and accident reports
- Wayne County Sheriff's Office, contact
- Reid Health Emergency Department
- Reid Health, Level III trauma center reverification (July 2025)
- Wayne County courts
- Palladium-Item, U.S. 27 and Pottershop Road safety measures (Jan. 2025)
- Indiana University Public Policy Institute, Indiana Traffic Safety Facts: 2024 County Profiles, Wayne County (PDF page 192; 2024 data)
- IC 34-11-2-4 — official heading: “Injury or forfeiture of penalty actions.” An action for injury to a person or to personal property generally must be started within two years after the cause of action accrues.
- IC 34-51-2 — official heading: “Chapter 2. Compensatory Damages: Comparative Fault.” Indiana’s comparative fault chapter: a claimant’s own fault reduces damages in proportion, and recovery is barred if the claimant’s fault is greater than the combined fault of everyone whose fault contributed (sections 5 and 6).
Indiana Code links open the official chapter PDF from the Indiana General Assembly (2026 Code); federal rules link to the current eCFR text.
More official links: Indiana accident resources · Indiana crash statistics · How to get your crash report
General information only—not legal advice. Laws change and every case is different; deadlines can be shorter in some situations. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.